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IN: Yoga

3 Ways to Do a Proper Side Plank

August 23, 2018 By Melanie No Comments

If you frequently attend fitness classes that rely on body weight, you’re probably very familiar with plank pose. Whether you love it or hate it, there’s no denying that it’s a top notch core strengthener! My one issue with plank is that many times a teacher will call it out with absolutely no alignment cues (especially when it’s not a yoga class). This  lack of awareness of proper form often leads to droopy hips, sassy backs, bad wrist placement, etc. All of which completely negate the benefits and instead can lead to some major injuries! 

When it comes to side plank, I find the added element of balance just makes proper form even more difficult to achieve. Since a few of you asked for more yoga tips, I thought I’d share 3 different variations of side plank that you can try out at home! No matter which one you choose, there are 5 key principles you should have in your mental checklist to make sure you’re doing it correctly.

  • Stack wrists directly under shoulders: This protects your delicate joints by taking the stress out of your wrists, elbows and shoulders 
  • Draw navel to spine: Similar to a traditional plank pose, your core should be actively engaged to protect your lower back
  • Lift your hips: Pull your hips up towards the ceiling to help take some of the pressure off your arms and into your core 
  • Flex your feet: I know plank is all about the core but every muscle should be activated to help with endurance
  • Stack your hip bones: Don’t let your hips roll forward or back. Instead, focus on keeping them stacked in a straight line to protect your back 

Beginner: Modified Side Plank

If you find yourself struggling to hold side plank without experiencing some major muscle shaking and/or alignment mistakes, try this instead! Lower one knee onto the ground and focus on lifting your hips up. When you give your body more grounding contact points you’re able to take a lot of the pressure off your arms and reduce the strength your core needs to hold yourself up. Practice holding a modified side plank for 15 second intervals until you can build up the strength to hold it for a full minute. 

Intermediate: Regular Side Plank

Once you feel confident and comfortable in modified side plank you can transition to the full expression of the pose. Aside from the alignment tips I called out before, do your best to activate every muscle in your legs and core in order to take the pressure out of your arms. If looking up towards the sky or ceiling is too difficult for your balance or strains your neck, you can keep your gaze forward or even down towards the floor. Just be sure if you choose the latter that your top hip bone doesn’t start to roll forward too. 

Advanced: One-legged Side Plank 

If you’re particular bold and can hold a solid side plank with ease, it’s probably time you’ve graduated to a one-legged variation! If you choose to lift your top leg be sure to continue flexing both feet and push your hips up higher. Depending on your hip mobility and hamstring flexibility you may even play around with grabbing the big toe of your floating foot and stretching your leg directly above your body. You can also choose to mimic “tree pose” by bringing your top foot to rest right above your bottom knee while remaining lifted in side plank. I tend to take this variation the most since I find that it helps me maintain my balance. 

There you have it! Three fun variations of side plank you can do by yourself, with friends or in a class. I hope you all found this to be helpful! Check back soon for more yoga tips coming your way. 

With love and light,

Filed Under: Yoga

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Meet Melanie

Meet Melanie

Hi and welcome to Headstands & Heels! I’m Melanie — a Digital Strategist turned Wellness Entrepreneur, certified yoga instructor (RYT 200), dog mama, and content creator based in Denver. I hope to encourage others to follow their dreams and cultivate a healthy, balanced lifestyle filled with mindfulness and positivity. 💕 Send me a note at: mel@headstandsandheels.com

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A little reminder that your younger self would be
A little reminder that your younger self would be so PROUD of how far you’ve come and this life you are currently living is worth celebrating every. single. day. 💛

I’m someone who is always chasing new goals… and while I appreciate my willingness to hustle, I also know that without intentionally pausing to find gratitude in the present moment it can be far to easy to get used to the things you once were working so hard for. 

This morning, in the midst of my brain starting to spiral thinking about “what’s next” (and having a minor meltdown), I had a moment where I looked around and realized “wow, THIS life is exactly what you dreamed of years ago.” 

And if I look back on so many previous years of my life, I had countless other “aha” moments like that too. Many things that my younger self would have never dreamed possible, became a reality… sometimes in the smallest, most subtle of ways 

All this to say, it’s SO important to keep chasing your dreams. This world needs you. It needs you and your voice, your gifts, your talents and your unique perspective ☺️

Just don’t forget to pause every once in awhile and look around with gratitude for the life you are living right now too 💕

#Ford_Ambassador Welcome back to “romanticizing
#Ford_Ambassador Welcome back to “romanticizing routines,” a mini series where I’m sharing different ways to find joy in the small, everyday moments. 💛

Today’s tip is all about leaning into seasonal joys and with it being early summertime that calls for gardening!🪏🪴🫜It’s times like these that I’m SO happy I have my 2025 @Ford Explorer® SUV because the cargo space is perfect for large hauls. 

The available feature back seats fold down with a touch of a button and it’s been a game changer for road trips and grocery shopping. In this case I was able to fill it with multiple bags of soil, a pot and lots of starter flowers, herbs and strawberries! 🍓🌼 

This is just the beginning of plenty more planting I plan on doing this season and I can’t wait to share more. I already know we’ll be spending lots of time out on our back porch, whether we are gardening, barbecuing, sipping coffee in the morning or hosting friends for dinner. 🍽️ 

Let me know if you want to see the start of my cut flower garden and maybe a full garden tour later this month!

2025 Ford Explorer® ST SUV shown with optional equipment.

#GardenGirl #RomanticizeYourLife #SmallJoys #HappyHabits

We made it halfway through 2025 and it’s the per
We made it halfway through 2025 and it’s the perfect time for a mid-year reset! Think of this as your invitation to check in on the goals you originally set for yourself, make small shifts to your routine and celebrate how far you’ve come

Be sure to swipe through all 6 wellness tips and SAVE this post to put this mid-year check into action!

✨CELEBRATE THE HIGHLIGHTS✨
This is an opportunity to practice gratitude and honor how much you’ve already grown & gained so far in the past 6 months! Pick your fav photos to be printed, write out your proudest moments and journal your favorite memories 

✨REVISIT YOUR GOALS✨
This is your time to reconnect with your purpose and let go of what’s no longer serving you. Whether that’s setting a new intention, adjusting your old goals, or brainstorming solutions to challenges you’re facing 

✨ REFRESH YOUR ROUTINES✨
June is a great time to refresh your daily routine to best serve this season of life that you’re in. Try letting go of habits that don’t bring you joy, help you grow or make your life easier 

✨RECOMMIT TO YOUR WELLBEING✨
Let this reset give you the permission you need to focus on your own wellbeing and realign with routines that support your mental, physical and emotional health 

✨RECONNECT WITH YOUR COMMUNITY✨
Use this time as an opportunity to reach out to the people who light you up and make you feel supported. Make it fun by hosting a small gathering, joining a class or scheduling a fun outing with a friend 

✨GROUND YOURSELF IN THE PRESENT✨
Time moves quickly and it’s up to slow down and savor where we are right now. Take a mindful walk, try a meditation or journal practice, and maybe take a little screen time break to give yourself a chance to just be and reflect 

Let me know if you’ll be doing any of these this month as you set yourself up for whatever success looks like for YOU for the remainder of the year 💕

Mondays are for matcha and I’ll be having this b
Mondays are for matcha and I’ll be having this blueberry iced #matchalatte all summer long 🫐🩵

It’s so easy to make and tastes sweet & refreshing! Here’s a little step-by-step of how to make the BEST matcha at home: 

✨ sift 1 tsp ceremonial grade matcha powder to remove clumps 
✨ Pour 1/4 cup of hot water, ideally between 160-175 degrees Fahrenheit, over matcha 
✨ Using bamboo whisk, whisk vigorously in a W shape until microfoam forms 

For the blueberry portion, muddle fresh blueberries with blueberry syrup (or make a homemade blueberry syrup by heating blueberries with sugar, lemon juice and water over the stove)

Pour blueberry syrup in glass, add ice, pour in milk of choice and top with matcha for a beautiful layered effect 

Swirl and enjoy! 💙🦋

#matcharecipe #matchamonday #matchalove #matchalover #matchamoment #blueberrymatcha #healthylifestyle #healthyliving #healthyrecipes #summerdrink

June is in 🌸𝘣𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘮🌸

#lifelat
June is in 🌸𝘣𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘮🌸
 
#lifelately #sundaymornings #weekendvibes #romanticizeyourlife #farmersmarket #happysnaps #lifeisbeautiful #summervibes


Spend a morning with me and my two little pups, Ni
Spend a morning with me and my two little pups, Nina and Chip! 💕🐶 Many of you know we adopted both of these cuties years ago and even though our (human) baby has changed up our daily routine, these pups are always along for the ride and have adapted to our new family member beautifully. 

Since wellness is obviously super important to me, you know that means I take EXTRA care with what I feed my pups! 💚 Luckily @crumpsnaturals makes such a wonderful line of all-natural, premium dog treats made with simple ingredients and no artificial
flavors, colors or preservatives! Nina’s fav are the duck mini trainers. 

Chip also really loves their Fish & Superfood Greens meal topper – I just sprinkle it on his food every morning for extra vitamins to help his skin and coat! 

I’m just grateful that it makes caring for my furbaby’s wellbeing super easy and one less thing this busy mama has to think about every day!  #ad ☺️

#morningroutine #healthylifestyle #healthyhabits #morningvibes

Because life is too short to not have a million ho
Because life is too short to not have a million hobbies, right? ☺️🦋💕

#healthylifestyle #romanticizeyourlife #cozyhobbies #hobbiesarefun #smalljoys #happyhabits #balancedliving #wellbeing


Where are my #balancedlifestyle girlies at? 🙌🏻🦋💕☀️

#healthylifestyle #morningroutine #healthyandhappy #healthyhabits #romanticizeyourlife #mindfulroutines

When you ✨grow✨ you can’t help but create a
When you ✨grow✨ you can’t help but create a beautiful life 

#healthylifestyle #romanticizeyourlife #iamwellandgood #healthyhabits #happyandhealthy #mindfulroutine

When you let your mood dictate what you do, you’
When you let your mood dictate what you do, you’ll never be able to stay consistent with your goals… especially when it comes to your overall wellbeing. Completing that very first task always starts a chain reaction — it’s getting started that’s the hardest part 💕

If you’re ready to start building a #morningroutine filled with #healthyhabits, comment WORKSHEET and I’ll send you my free printable Mindful Morning template to help you get started ☀️🙌🏻

#healthylifestyle #iamwellandgood #mindfulroutines #healthyandhappy #wellnessgirl #selfcarequeen

A little bts of my very first Mommy & Mini Garden
A little bts of my very first Mommy & Mini Garden Party I hosted in my backyard yesterday! 🦋🌼🍓

June is my FAV month of the year and this was such a sweet way to kick off the summer season ☀️. I’ve always loved hosting and having an excuse to create magical moments for my baby girl adds an extra layer of joy to it all

Tbh we had a rough week last week so having all the mama friends together and seeing them with their little ones was just what I needed to lift my spirits ☺️💕

Let me know if you have q’s about anything you see here and I’m happy to share! And of course a big thank you to all my mama friends who came out despite it being the hottest day of the year so far 😅

#mamaandme #gardenparty #backyardparty #romanticizeyourlife #smalljoys #happymoments #summerhosting #hostingideas #summervibes #gardenpartyvibes

I’m back with another round of #HealthyHabits th
I’m back with another round of #HealthyHabits that will change your life (scroll further down my feed to find pt 1 if you missed it). 

Building a stack of habits that change the way you feel mentally, emotionally, and physically for the better is one of the best things you can do for yourself 🥰

If you need some tips on how to get started, here are 5 habits to add to your repertoire:

1️⃣ Schedule alone time: carving out time alone is essential for your wellbeing (even if you’re an extrovert like me). Find ways to make your time feel more special like taking yourself on a solo date 

2️⃣ Clean your space: a clear space = a clear mind, and one of my favorite ways to do this is to allot 30 min each evening for a “closing shift” where you do dishes, tidy up and prep your space so that you can wake up to a clean house

3️⃣ Make time for hobbies: it’s too easy to get caught up in the productivity hustle but making time for things that are just for fun can be the BEST thing for your creativity and mental wellbeing 

4️⃣ Go for a walk: getting in the habit of going outside to get your steps in and breathe in the fresh air is such a great way to reset for the day. There are lots of fun ways to make your walks more interesting, whether you listen to a new podcast or make it a mindful color walk 

5️⃣ Practice presence: the act of noticing your surroundings and fully immersing yourself in the simple moments is a life long practice. If tuning in to yourself is challenging and you find your mind wandering, try slowing down and being intentional to not multi-task and instead focus on one thing at a time 

Be sure to comment WORKSHEET below 👇🏼 if you want me to send you a copy of my free printable Mindful Morning Worksheet that can help you track your healthy habits and set goals for the week ahead 💕

#healthylifestyle #healthyliving #healthyandhappy #romanticizeyourlife #wellbeingtips #wellbeing #wellnessguide #habitsthatwork #wellnessgirl


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A little reminder that your younger self would be A little reminder that your younger self would be so PROUD of how far you’ve come and this life you are currently living is worth celebrating every. single. day. 💛

I’m someone who is always chasing new goals… and while I appreciate my willingness to hustle, I also know that without intentionally pausing to find gratitude in the present moment it can be far to easy to get used to the things you once were working so hard for. 

This morning, in the midst of my brain starting to spiral thinking about “what’s next” (and having a minor meltdown), I had a moment where I looked around and realized “wow, THIS life is exactly what you dreamed of years ago.” 

And if I look back on so many previous years of my life, I had countless other “aha” moments like that too. Many things that my younger self would have never dreamed possible, became a reality… sometimes in the smallest, most subtle of ways 

All this to say, it’s SO important to keep chasing your dreams. This world needs you. It needs you and your voice, your gifts, your talents and your unique perspective ☺️

Just don’t forget to pause every once in awhile and look around with gratitude for the life you are living right now too 💕
#Ford_Ambassador Welcome back to “romanticizing #Ford_Ambassador Welcome back to “romanticizing routines,” a mini series where I’m sharing different ways to find joy in the small, everyday moments. 💛

Today’s tip is all about leaning into seasonal joys and with it being early summertime that calls for gardening!🪏🪴🫜It’s times like these that I’m SO happy I have my 2025 @Ford Explorer® SUV because the cargo space is perfect for large hauls. 

The available feature back seats fold down with a touch of a button and it’s been a game changer for road trips and grocery shopping. In this case I was able to fill it with multiple bags of soil, a pot and lots of starter flowers, herbs and strawberries! 🍓🌼 

This is just the beginning of plenty more planting I plan on doing this season and I can’t wait to share more. I already know we’ll be spending lots of time out on our back porch, whether we are gardening, barbecuing, sipping coffee in the morning or hosting friends for dinner. 🍽️ 

Let me know if you want to see the start of my cut flower garden and maybe a full garden tour later this month!

2025 Ford Explorer® ST SUV shown with optional equipment.

#GardenGirl #RomanticizeYourLife #SmallJoys #HappyHabits
We made it halfway through 2025 and it’s the per We made it halfway through 2025 and it’s the perfect time for a mid-year reset! Think of this as your invitation to check in on the goals you originally set for yourself, make small shifts to your routine and celebrate how far you’ve come

Be sure to swipe through all 6 wellness tips and SAVE this post to put this mid-year check into action!

✨CELEBRATE THE HIGHLIGHTS✨
This is an opportunity to practice gratitude and honor how much you’ve already grown & gained so far in the past 6 months! Pick your fav photos to be printed, write out your proudest moments and journal your favorite memories 

✨REVISIT YOUR GOALS✨
This is your time to reconnect with your purpose and let go of what’s no longer serving you. Whether that’s setting a new intention, adjusting your old goals, or brainstorming solutions to challenges you’re facing 

✨ REFRESH YOUR ROUTINES✨
June is a great time to refresh your daily routine to best serve this season of life that you’re in. Try letting go of habits that don’t bring you joy, help you grow or make your life easier 

✨RECOMMIT TO YOUR WELLBEING✨
Let this reset give you the permission you need to focus on your own wellbeing and realign with routines that support your mental, physical and emotional health 

✨RECONNECT WITH YOUR COMMUNITY✨
Use this time as an opportunity to reach out to the people who light you up and make you feel supported. Make it fun by hosting a small gathering, joining a class or scheduling a fun outing with a friend 

✨GROUND YOURSELF IN THE PRESENT✨
Time moves quickly and it’s up to slow down and savor where we are right now. Take a mindful walk, try a meditation or journal practice, and maybe take a little screen time break to give yourself a chance to just be and reflect 

Let me know if you’ll be doing any of these this month as you set yourself up for whatever success looks like for YOU for the remainder of the year 💕
Mondays are for matcha and I’ll be having this b Mondays are for matcha and I’ll be having this blueberry iced #matchalatte all summer long 🫐🩵

It’s so easy to make and tastes sweet & refreshing! Here’s a little step-by-step of how to make the BEST matcha at home: 

✨ sift 1 tsp ceremonial grade matcha powder to remove clumps 
✨ Pour 1/4 cup of hot water, ideally between 160-175 degrees Fahrenheit, over matcha 
✨ Using bamboo whisk, whisk vigorously in a W shape until microfoam forms 

For the blueberry portion, muddle fresh blueberries with blueberry syrup (or make a homemade blueberry syrup by heating blueberries with sugar, lemon juice and water over the stove)

Pour blueberry syrup in glass, add ice, pour in milk of choice and top with matcha for a beautiful layered effect 

Swirl and enjoy! 💙🦋

#matcharecipe #matchamonday #matchalove #matchalover #matchamoment #blueberrymatcha #healthylifestyle #healthyliving #healthyrecipes #summerdrink
June is in 🌸𝘣𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘮🌸 #lifelat June is in 🌸𝘣𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘮🌸
 
#lifelately #sundaymornings #weekendvibes #romanticizeyourlife #farmersmarket #happysnaps #lifeisbeautiful #summervibes
Spend a morning with me and my two little pups, Ni Spend a morning with me and my two little pups, Nina and Chip! 💕🐶 Many of you know we adopted both of these cuties years ago and even though our (human) baby has changed up our daily routine, these pups are always along for the ride and have adapted to our new family member beautifully. 

Since wellness is obviously super important to me, you know that means I take EXTRA care with what I feed my pups! 💚 Luckily @crumpsnaturals makes such a wonderful line of all-natural, premium dog treats made with simple ingredients and no artificial
flavors, colors or preservatives! Nina’s fav are the duck mini trainers. 

Chip also really loves their Fish & Superfood Greens meal topper – I just sprinkle it on his food every morning for extra vitamins to help his skin and coat! 

I’m just grateful that it makes caring for my furbaby’s wellbeing super easy and one less thing this busy mama has to think about every day!  #ad ☺️

#morningroutine #healthylifestyle #healthyhabits #morningvibes
Because life is too short to not have a million ho Because life is too short to not have a million hobbies, right? ☺️🦋💕

#healthylifestyle #romanticizeyourlife #cozyhobbies #hobbiesarefun #smalljoys #happyhabits #balancedliving #wellbeing
Where are my #balancedlifestyle girlies at? 🙌🏻🦋💕☀️

#healthylifestyle #morningroutine #healthyandhappy #healthyhabits #romanticizeyourlife #mindfulroutines
When you ✨grow✨ you can’t help but create a When you ✨grow✨ you can’t help but create a beautiful life 

#healthylifestyle #romanticizeyourlife #iamwellandgood #healthyhabits #happyandhealthy #mindfulroutine
When you let your mood dictate what you do, you’ When you let your mood dictate what you do, you’ll never be able to stay consistent with your goals… especially when it comes to your overall wellbeing. Completing that very first task always starts a chain reaction — it’s getting started that’s the hardest part 💕

If you’re ready to start building a #morningroutine filled with #healthyhabits, comment WORKSHEET and I’ll send you my free printable Mindful Morning template to help you get started ☀️🙌🏻

#healthylifestyle #iamwellandgood #mindfulroutines #healthyandhappy #wellnessgirl #selfcarequeen
A little bts of my very first Mommy & Mini Garden A little bts of my very first Mommy & Mini Garden Party I hosted in my backyard yesterday! 🦋🌼🍓

June is my FAV month of the year and this was such a sweet way to kick off the summer season ☀️. I’ve always loved hosting and having an excuse to create magical moments for my baby girl adds an extra layer of joy to it all

Tbh we had a rough week last week so having all the mama friends together and seeing them with their little ones was just what I needed to lift my spirits ☺️💕

Let me know if you have q’s about anything you see here and I’m happy to share! And of course a big thank you to all my mama friends who came out despite it being the hottest day of the year so far 😅

#mamaandme #gardenparty #backyardparty #romanticizeyourlife #smalljoys #happymoments #summerhosting #hostingideas #summervibes #gardenpartyvibes
I’m back with another round of #HealthyHabits th I’m back with another round of #HealthyHabits that will change your life (scroll further down my feed to find pt 1 if you missed it). 

Building a stack of habits that change the way you feel mentally, emotionally, and physically for the better is one of the best things you can do for yourself 🥰

If you need some tips on how to get started, here are 5 habits to add to your repertoire:

1️⃣ Schedule alone time: carving out time alone is essential for your wellbeing (even if you’re an extrovert like me). Find ways to make your time feel more special like taking yourself on a solo date 

2️⃣ Clean your space: a clear space = a clear mind, and one of my favorite ways to do this is to allot 30 min each evening for a “closing shift” where you do dishes, tidy up and prep your space so that you can wake up to a clean house

3️⃣ Make time for hobbies: it’s too easy to get caught up in the productivity hustle but making time for things that are just for fun can be the BEST thing for your creativity and mental wellbeing 

4️⃣ Go for a walk: getting in the habit of going outside to get your steps in and breathe in the fresh air is such a great way to reset for the day. There are lots of fun ways to make your walks more interesting, whether you listen to a new podcast or make it a mindful color walk 

5️⃣ Practice presence: the act of noticing your surroundings and fully immersing yourself in the simple moments is a life long practice. If tuning in to yourself is challenging and you find your mind wandering, try slowing down and being intentional to not multi-task and instead focus on one thing at a time 

Be sure to comment WORKSHEET below 👇🏼 if you want me to send you a copy of my free printable Mindful Morning Worksheet that can help you track your healthy habits and set goals for the week ahead 💕

#healthylifestyle #healthyliving #healthyandhappy #romanticizeyourlife #wellbeingtips #wellbeing #wellnessguide #habitsthatwork #wellnessgirl
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